Microfiche storage panels and similar devices are well known in the art. These panels typically comprise a relatively flat member provided with a plurality of compartments for receiving the articles to be stored, with an assortment of punched holes running along one edge of the member to facilitate storage of the panel in a binder arrangement. Another edge, preferably the one opposing the edge with the punched holes, is typically formed of a transparent material in the shape of a hollow profile edge. This hollow profile edge is adapted to receive and display an index strip which is used for panel identification purposes. A typical storage panel of the type described is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,807.
The index strip, which usually runs along the entire length of the storage panel, may be either blank or preprinted. Where the strip is blank, the user simply writes in by hand the desired identifying information. It is sometimes preferable, however, to have the index strips preprinted with identification symbols. These strips allow the user to simply select one or more identification symbols for storage panel identification, with the selected symbol or symbols being displayed on both sides of the storage panel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,807 discloses one such preprinted index strip.
Preprinted index strips of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,807 suffer from the disadvantage that the set of available identification symbols is limited to those that can be fit in one column of the index strip, since the parallel second column must exactly duplicate the first column's symbols if the selected identification symbol or symbols is to be displayed on both sides of the storage panel. As a result, in order to increase the number of available identification symbols when using index strips of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,807, the identification symbols must either be made smaller in size or more than one index strip must be prepared. However, there is a practical limit to the desired size of the identifying symbols. Hence, increasing the number of symbols is most practically achieved by preparing a number of preprinted index strips so as to meet the needs of the user.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an index strip which greatly expands the choice of identification symbols available to the user from a single preprinted index sheet without requiring a reduction in the size of the identification symbols or prohibiting the selected identification symbol from being displayed on both sides of the storage panel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide preprinted index strips which are cheap to produce and easy to use.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide index strips which are particularly well suited to use with alphanumeric identification symbols.